Description
Carter Lane Garden was laid out post WWII on an area that had originally been intended for a traffic scheme south of St Paul's Cathedral. It follows the ground-plan of the pre-war buildings over whose bombed foundations it was formed. In 1955 a circular Information Pavilion built for the Festival of Britain in 1951 in nearby Festival Gardens, was re-erected in the north-west corner. This remained until 2007 when a new information kiosk designed by make architects was erected, at the same time as re-landscaping of the garden. It is divided into two areas either side of the wide paved path that forms the pedestrian route from St Paul's to the Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Information Centre Garden |
|---|---|
| Site location | Carter Lane/St Paul's Churchyard |
| Postcode | EC4M 8BX |
| What3Words | ///scope.recent.admits |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted. Information Centre: 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun |
| Facilities | City of London Information Centre |
| Public Transport | Tube: St Paul's (Central); Mansion House (District, Circle). Bus: 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76, 100, 172. |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2013 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The garden was laid out post World War II on an area that had originally been intended for a traffic scheme south of St Paul's Cathedral but did not get carried out. It follows the ground-plan of the pre-war buildings here over whose bombed foundations it was laid out. The circular Festival of Britain Information Pavilion, originally sited adjacent to Festival Gardens (q.v.), was moved to a site in the north-west corner of the gardens in 1955 and provided tourist information for the City of London. The garden is divided into two areas either side of the wide paved path running north/south, which forms the pedestrian route from St Paul's to the Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern. The west section was more informal and secluded from the traffic, at one time surrounded by rustic wooden fencing with grass, seating, a number of plane trees and perimeter shrubs, while the elongated triangular area to the east was laid out formally with a series of beds set into lawn with changing floral displays, and a number of ornamental trees. Adjacent to the garden on the corner of Peter's Hill to the south is the Fire Brigade War Memorial of 1991, with bronze figures by John W Mills.
Carter Lane Garden was re-landscaped in 2007 as part of the Carter Lane Quarter project, at which time the old information kiosk was replaced by a new pavilion designed by make architects, a striking angular structure clad in grey metal with golden-yellow soffit above the entrance, which won an RIBA Award in 2009. The garden has formal curved lawns and borders that reflect the form of the south transept of the cathedral. An elaborate Victorian drinking fountain, which was formerly located outside St Lawrence Jewry Church (q.v.) was also reconstructed in the garden, after many years in storage. Some further re-landscaping of Carter Lane Garden was undertaken in 2012 as part of a wider project to improve the setting of St Paul's and create a high quality public space reflecting the significance of this location. This included new seating, new planting and trees, enhanced footways paved in natural materials and public art.
Carter Lane Garden was re-landscaped in 2007 as part of the Carter Lane Quarter project, at which time the old information kiosk was replaced by a new pavilion designed by make architects, a striking angular structure clad in grey metal with golden-yellow soffit above the entrance, which won an RIBA Award in 2009. The garden has formal curved lawns and borders that reflect the form of the south transept of the cathedral. An elaborate Victorian drinking fountain, which was formerly located outside St Lawrence Jewry Church (q.v.) was also reconstructed in the garden, after many years in storage. Some further re-landscaping of Carter Lane Garden was undertaken in 2012 as part of a wider project to improve the setting of St Paul's and create a high quality public space reflecting the significance of this location. This included new seating, new planting and trees, enhanced footways paved in natural materials and public art.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ320810 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.1576 |
| Site Ownership | City of London Corporation |
| Site Management | Open Spaces Dept. |
| Dates | 1955; 2007 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | City of London |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | St Paul's Cathedral |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - St Paul's Heights Policy Area |
| Other LA Designation | Strategic Viewing Corridor. City Walkway Network |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The churchyard gardens are part of the precincts of St Paul's Cathedral and an important part of its setting. The first cathedral was erected in 604 and the present cathedral by Christopher Wren is the 5th on the site. His third design was accepted in 1675 and building took 35 years, completion marked by the statue of Queen Anne erected in 1712. By 1870 the cathedral precinct consisted of 5 sites comprised of former churchyards and the cathedral forecourt. The churchyards were closed for burial and negotiations to create recreational open space began in 1874, with agreement reached with the Dean and Chapter in 1878. The gardens were opened by the Lord Mayor on 22 September 1879. Trees in the area south of the nave include London plane, gingko, maple, lime, ash, mulberry and eucalyptus. In the north are some of the oldest plane trees in the City and a giant fir tree; at the south gate is a rose garden.
Old Change Court is a landscaped area laid out in the 1960s as part of City Walkway and overlooks St Nicholas Cole Abbey. There are areas of grass, paving and seats, small trees and shrubs and a sculpture by Michael Ayrton, 'Icarus', dated 1973. This is dedicated to Bernard Sunley (1910-1964) 'who loved gardens and the City of London' and it was presented to the Corporation of London by the Bernard Sunley Investment Trust Ltd.
The Festival Gardens were laid out in 1951 by Sir Albert Richardson for the Corporation of London's contribution to the Festival of Britain. The layout, which followed the ground plan of pre-war buildings destroyed as a result of WWII bombing, consisted of a sunken lawn with a wall fountain, donated by the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, surrounded by a raised paved terrace with stone parapets and seating, planting in tubs and a number of trees including a lime hedge. Georg Ehrlich's sculpture 'The Young Lovers' was purchased by the Corporation and installed in the gardens in 1969. The circular Festival Information Kiosk that was originally sited here was re-erected in nearby Carter Lane Garden in 1955, but since removed.
